Why Are There Rubber Ducks on Jeep Dashboards?
Photo: Kendra via Creative Commons 2.0
Have you noticed a Jeep in traffic or in a parking lot that has rubber ducks lined across its dashboard? This trend is becoming increasingly popular, yet many people don’t know what these rubber ducks on Jeep dashboards are for. Here’s an explanation of the trend called “Jeep ducking” or “Duck Duck Jeep.”
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The history of Jeep Ducking
Associating rubber duckies with Jeeps is a recent trend that began only a few years ago. Back in 2020, Allison Parliament was traveling from Alabama to her family home in Ontario in her Jeep during the pandemic. After a terrifying altercation with another driver earlier, she purchased a bunch of rubber duck toys from a convenience store to brighten her day.
She decided to spread some cheer by leaving a duck on the mirror of someone else’s Jeep with a note saying, “Have a great day.” Although confused at first, the recipient’s positive response inspired Parliament to post about it on social media, with the hashtag #DuckDuckJeep quickly trending.
Photo: Kendra via Creative Commons 2.0
#DuckDuckJeep catches on
Other Jeep enthusiasts began leaving rubber ducks on people’s Jeep vehicles, recognizing eye-catching models with attractive colors, customizations, bumper stickers/window decals, or off-road wear. Oftentimes these are Wranglers, but any Jeep model can earn this squishy accolade.
According to Parliament in an interview, “Jeeps get ducked for many reasons and with lots of motivations and meanings. For me, it was an act of kindness, a healing of sorts, as well as recognition of and greeting to a fellow Jeep owner. But it can just be that you like their Jeep, or it’s the same Jeep you have, or maybe a classic Jeep you would like to own one day. You don’t really need a reason for Jeep ducking other than to connect, bring a smile to someone’s face, and have fun.”
Sadly, Allison passed away in June 2024, but her random act of kindness will live on among Jeep enthusiast communities around the world who are continuing the positive vibes of the Jeep Ducking movement.
How you can join the rubber duck craze
If you like a Jeep in a parking lot, here is what you can do to show your appreciation through Jeep Ducking:
- Carry a handful of small rubber duck toys in your car’s glovebox, trunk, or storage compartment. They can be plain yellow ones or fun-themed characters.
- Write short messages on the duck, like “Cool Jeep!” Or, “Love your Jeep!” in permanent marker.
- Leave the toy duck somewhere obvious where the driver will spot it, like the hood or side mirror.
- The driver will put the duck on their dashboard along with other ducks they’ve received, which forms their “duck pond.”
You can read more about Jeep Ducking on the official Duck Duck Jeep website.
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Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.